The present invention generally relates to mirror mounting assemblies. More particularly, the invention is directed to mirror mounting assemblies that accommodate an internal wire and allow a mirror housing to be biaxially adjusted relative to a mounting bar without undesired rotation.
Different arrangements are known for mounting external mirrors on vehicles. On large, commercial vehicles, such as trucks and busses, mirrors are often secured within mirror housings mounted so as to extend the mirror away from the vehicle to provide a clear view of different areas around the vehicle. Depending on the size and design of the mirror, as well as the area around the vehicle to be observed, different mounting arrangements have been used. An exemplary mounting arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,549, which recites a biaxially adjustable mirror mounting assembly.
A drawback in the prior art is that wiring for mirror control motors, heating elements, electronic displays and the like must be routed circuitously about various internal components of existing mirror mounting assemblies. In a tightly spaced mirror mounting assembly, for instance, the wiring may be more susceptible to kinking and premature wear and tear, which may in turn cause the mirror mounting assembly to fail prematurely. In addition to the above, convoluted internal wiring of known mirror mounting assemblies makes assembly of component parts more difficult.
Another drawback in the prior art is that a space-constrained mirror mounting assembly may require that wiring be installed externally. Thus, the mirror mounting assembly may be unsightly and the wiring may be undesirably exposed to the outside atmosphere. Alternatively, tightly spaced mirror mounting assemblies may require a separate cover for the wiring, thus increasing installation time, assembly weight, and costs.
The present invention provides a mirror mounting assembly in which the component parts of the mirror mounting assembly are simple and economical to manufacture, assemble, and use. Other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the attached drawings, or can be learned through practice of the invention.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, as broadly described and depicted herein, a mirror mounting apparatus is disclosed for mounting a mirror glass to a mounting rod. The mounting rod is affixable to a vehicle and includes a bore and an outlet. Optionally, a wire to provide power to a mirror control motor, heater element or the like is routed from the vehicle through the bore and exits the outlet into a mirror housing assembly.
The mirror mounting apparatus includes the mirror housing assembly for supporting a mirror glass. The mirror housing assembly has a base member for mounting to the mounting rod. The base member has a shaft with an opening, which delivers the wire from the outlet of the bore into the mirror housing assembly.
Also included in the mirror mounting apparatus is a compression element, which sits coaxially about the shaft. The compression element resistively urges the mirror housing and the mounting rod together when a locking device, with engaged and disengaged positions, compresses the compression element in the engaged position to releasably hold the mirror housing and the mounting rod together.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an alternative mirror mounting apparatus includes an adjusting member with a shaft opening to receive the shaft of the base member and to route the wire into the mirror mounting apparatus. The adjusting member may be adjustably attached to the mirror housing assembly.
The mirror mounting apparatus may include biasing and locking devices. The biasing device, similar to the foregoing compression element, optimally urges the adjusting member, the mirror housing assembly, and the mounting rod together. The locking device has a terminal opening for delivery of the wire into the mirror mounting apparatus, and compresses the biasing device about the shaft. The locking device releasably holds the adjusting member, the mirror housing assembly, and the mounting rod together.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a mirror mounting assembly is disclosed having a mirror housing with a mirror for a vehicle. The mirror mounting assembly includes a mounting bar affixable to the vehicle, and the mounting bar has an inner surface that defines a cavity extending axially. The mounting bar also has a first opening in communication with the cavity, and the cavity can receive a wire from the first opening.
In this example, a base member has a first base surface and a conduit and can be mounted to a portion of the mounting bar. The conduit has a second opening and a securement element and routes the wire to the second opening.
The mirror mounting assembly may also have first and second slide members. The first slide member has a third opening, a first spherical surface, and a receiving surface. The third opening is for receiving the conduit and the wire. The second slide member has a fourth opening and a second spherical surface. The fourth opening is configured to receive the conduit and the wire, and the second spherical surface contacts and seats in the receiving surface. The first and second slide members slideably adjust relative to each other and to the mirror housing.
The mirror mounting assembly may also have a spring compression element and fastener operably similar, respectively, to the biasing and locking devices discussed above. The fastener may be rotatably locked to the securement element to couple the mirror mounting assembly together.
A more detailed aspect of the invention includes the mirror mounting assembly for a vehicle having the mounting bar and the base member, which has a first base surface and a conduit with a second opening. The conduit has a locking key and is configured to route the wire from the outlet through the second opening into the mirror mounting assembly.
This alternative mirror mounting assembly includes a mirror housing with a passage through which the conduit extends, a first receiving surface and a second base surface, which seats against the first base surface of the base member.
Also found in this exemplary embodiment is a first slide member with a third opening through which a conduit extends, a first spherical surface, a second receiving surface, and a first raised arcuate member. The second receiving surface has a second raised arcuate member, which has a first stopping surface, and the first receiving surface contacts the first spherical surface.
A second slide member with a fourth opening, a notch, a second groove with a second stopping surface, a mounting element, a second spherical surface, and a receptacle is also provided. Specifically, the notch is located near the fourth opening, and a spring compression element is provided to compressibly seat in the second slide member. When the mirror mounting assembly is assembled, the first and second stopping surfaces cooperate to impede a movement of the second slide member beyond a predetermined position. The mounting element has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end attached to the second slide member, the distal end depending from the proximal end away from the second slide member.
The fastener of this aspect of the invention has a fifth opening, which delivers an end of the wire to the mirror mounting assembly. The fastener can be depressed axially in a direction of the mounting bar to compress the spring compression element and urge together the base member, the mirror housing, the first slide member, and the second slide member. The fastener with a transition surface and the locking key operate to translate rotation of the fastener relative to the locking key to lock the mirror mounting assembly together.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of assembling a rearview mirror mounting assembly configured for receiving the wire is disclosed. Optimally, the mounting assembly has a housing, a base member with a hole in the base member, a cap member, a spring element, and a fastener. The method of assembling the rearview mirror mounting assembly for a vehicle may include the step of providing a mounting rod with an opening and an outlet. The rod optimally attaches to both the vehicle and to the base member. The opening in the rod should permit the wire to be fed through the rod and into the housing from the outlet.
Additional steps of the exemplary method may include providing the wire, feeding the wire through the opening in the mounting rod, feeding the wire through the hole in the base member and into the housing from the outlet, and connecting the wire to an element in the housing. The element can be an electric motor wire, a heating element wire, a signaling device wire, a hydraulic line, and/or a fiber optic cable. Preferably, for maintenance purposes, the base member and the cap member are releasably attached to the mounting rod. Other steps in the foregoing method of assembly may be connecting the housing, the base member, and the spring element together with the fastener, and attaching a mirror element to the housing.